The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-11-03
me and then with boyish petulance

looked at the boy in astonishment.
Tell me your trouble" 1 said, land
we'll see what can be done'
He then commenced by telling me of
meeting Mary shortly after her arrival
in town and how acquaintance ripened
into intimacy, until his very soul be-
longed to her, and then how this very
evening he had been refused admission
to her house, and when he raved and
swore he would enter she came to the
door and told him "all was over be-
tween them, and he would please leave
and never see her again"
II left her with curse" he said, but
here he broke down and sobbed as if his
heart was breaking. could do moth
ing for him; if the girl had tired of him,
it was certainly to his advantage and
time would so prove it. But youth is
hot and impulsive, and knew he would
not believe me in his present state. In
short time he recovered himself and
asked oh! SO piteously: Judge, what
shall do? You know woman; you're
a man of the world, and then you
promised to help me. What shall l
doP" l told him to go home and come
to me in the morning, and would try
and think the matter ouh He left me
and settled back into my chair, trying
to think of some way to help the boy,
when rap, rap, again at the door.
Come in!'' shouted, and in walked
Mary.
She was all muffied up in rich furs.
but oh! what sad little face peeped
out at me from under the heavy seal
skin hat. l gave her a chair near the
fire and waited for her to speak. Soon
she said:
"He's been here?'
nodded.
What did he say?" she asked.
I repeated his story. She listened
and then looked up to me saying: Il
did it for his sake. did it," and here
her voice trembled, "because love him
and Pm not worthy of his love-I only
drag him down-he's a young man,
with the world before him, and Pm an
unfortunate girl, whom the world CEN
sures; but. oh! it's so hard to give him
up. My God! my heart is breaking"
and down went the little face between
her hands, and for the second time that
night my room resounded with sobs.
know it's very unmanly, but must
confess that the tears welled up in my
old eyes, and taking her little hands in
mine and gently patting them, said:
Tell me your troubles and | will try
and help you." She told me her story
agreeing with L.'s-but said: II told
him did not care for him, but l was
false to myself-he's more to me than
all the rest of the world; but it is my
great love for him, and my pride in him
that made me act so tonight. can
not drag him down to my level. In a
few years he will forget me and marry
some girl worthy to be his wife.
could never be that to him, and the
world would laugh at him for his kind
ness and constancy to me.
Again was puzzled. What could
say? She was right beyond doubt, bu
, it was hard-awfully hard on her, anG
t / shuddered to think of what her future
: would be, when this little happiness
she had known had faded out of hel
f life.
/ Iadvised her las l had L, to g
t home and l would try and think ou
o some solution to the case
n A few minutes later she left me.
t shall never forget her putting her littl
r hand in mine, gazing into my face witt
e those pleading. sad eyes and saying
g II thank you, and whatever happen
try to help L to forget me; but it i
: so hard, so hardr' and out she wen
d into the cold. dark night. and the win
: howled around the corners with such
d human-moaning sound that shivere
l. and crept back to the warmth of m
" office. Well, there's not much NOR
p to tell. The next morning they foun
IF her in the snow-dead II frozen
lie death, her poor little face all pinche
W and drawn in the last agonies of deaf
G and one hand firmly grasping lette
vt addressed to L.
y We read it together-such a pitifl
ID letter, such womanly letter, such
N sweet, tender letter, that l bowed m
n. old head and wept like child.
lie l. was nearly crazed with grie
er We left him alone with his dead, ar
m when few hours later he came fro
OF the darkened room in which rested a
lg that was dearest to him in the worl
Id he came to me and said: You WI
ze attend to everything. l leave here t
I'd night. To stay in this place anoth
IL day would kill mer' l promised hir
e and we laid the poor little soul to re
lo next day.
ea aIn compliance with his wishes sir
I'll pie stone marks her grave, and on
&c only '.Mary. Thomas S. Wilson.
Omaha World.
n Many man thinks that it is
ny goodness which keeps him from GRIN